Apparatus for electrical control systems



Get. 11, 1932. A, J SORENsEN 1,882,404

APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS Filed April 1, 1951 .1 NJ .1Mg; 6

255 4 z p' 54M 59 I N VENTOR' F} .J Sore/1:52:11,

BY QKW 5E4 ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 11, 1932 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE ANDREW J. SORENSEN,OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'IO UNION SVJITCI-I & SIGNALCOMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF 7 PENNSYLVANIAcontrol systems making use of different code groups of current impulses.

I w1ll describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and willthen point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The present application is directed to an improvement on apparatusdisclosed and bclaimed in a copending application filed by Lars O.Grondahl, on April 4, 1930, Serial No. 441,593, for apparatus for thecontrol of train brakes.

The accompanying drawing is a diagramfi matic view illustrating one formof apparatus embodying my invention, when applied to acontrol systemsuch as described and claimed in the copending application for UnitedStates Letters Patent of Lars O. Grondahl, zoserial No. 524,305, filedMarch 21, 1931, for apparatus for the control. of vehicle brakes.

In control systems of the character disclosed in the above-mentionedapplication, different control conditions are established by differentcode currents, each code being distinguished by groups of currentimpulses with each group containing a distinctive number of separateimpulses, while eachgroup of impulses is separated from theprefid-ceding and succeeding groups by a relatively long interval. Whenchanging from one code to another in such systems, the completedportions of the first code taken either by itself or in combination withthe-second code SS may constitute a third code, governing still anothercondition, and cause a momentary false operation. A feature of thepresent invention is to provide means for preventing the changing fromone code to another during the time of a code group of impulses.

lVhile the form of the apparatus here disclosed is that for a controlsystem where coded currents are transmitted by apparatus on a locomotivefor governing the condition of an auxiliary brake controlling mechanismlocated on the train at another point, it will be understood that I donot limit myself to this specific type of control systems. My inventionis equally adaptable to other control systems.

' long interval.

" APPARATUS' FOR ELECTRICAL CONTROL SYSTEMS Application filed April 1,1931. Serial No. 526,874.

Referring to the drawing, the reference characters 1 and 1 designate thetraffic rails of a stretch of railway track in which a high 7 relationwith the track rails 1 and 1*, respectively. These several sendingcircuits are controlled by a plurality of coding devices, H H H and Hrespectively. Each of these coding devices consists of aconstantlyrotating cam 3 having a predetermined number of suitably spaced camlobes 4, which are adapted to periodically close a contact 55 in theassociated sending circuit. The several cams are to be mounted on ashaft indicated by a dotted line, and which is to be driven by anyconvenient source of power 1 not shown, such as a motor. These cams aredriven at a uniform speed to rotate in. the

direction indicated by the arrows. lobes 4 of each coding device arepositioned The cam on the same respective portion of the circumferenceof the associatedcam. As shown in the drawing, they are positioned inthe upper one-half of the circumference of the cams. Thus, in each case,as the cams r0- tate from the position shown in the drawing, the camlobes of each coding device will in.- termittently engage the associatedcontact member 5 to close its associated contact 5-5 intermittentlyduring the first one-half of a rotation. During the second one-half of arotation, no cam lobes will engage a contact 5, andthus, during theinterval of the sec- 1 0nd one-half rotation, no code is supplied Eachcam being. provided with a different number of cam lobes, each codegroup will consist, of a different number of current impulses. Itfollows then, that each code as produced by the coding devices H H H andH will consist of a distinctive group of; current impulses followed by arelatively In other. words, as the cams rotate, each code consists of apredetermined group of current impulses which is separated from thepreceding and succeeding groups by a relatively long interval.

The several sending circuits are also controlled by a plurality ofrelays F F F and F each having a pick-up winding 6 and a stick winding 7.and each in turn controlled by the engineers'brake valve leverindicated by the reference character V.

The valve lever V is capable of occupying several positions C, R, L,-Sand E in which it controls respectively, the release, running, lap,service and emcrgency con dition of the brakes. The lever V carries acontact member 8 which is adapted to engage an arcuate contact 9 in allpositions of the lever V and also to engage a series of contacts 10, 11,12 and 13 when the lever V :occu ies its release runnin' la 3 oremergency position, respectively. 1

The apparatus also includes a contact mechanism M which controls thepick-up circuits for all of the relays F, and a contact mechanism Kwhich controls the stick circuits for all of these relays. These contactmechanisms both operate in synchronisinwith the coding devices H andeach comprise a rotatable disk 1% having a conducting portion 15 and aninsulating portion 16 for alternate engagement with a spring contactfinger 17 The conducting portion 15 and the insulating portion 16 eachextend for substantially one-half of the circumference 10f the disk, andthe disks are angularly displaced relative to one another substantially180 so that during one-half of a rotation of the disks the conductingportion of one is in engagement with its associated contact 17 and theinsulated portion of the other is in engagement with its cooperatingcontact 17, and that during the other half'of the rotation of the disksthis conditionis reversed. There is, however, a slight overlap of theconducting portions 15 of the two disks so that at two points in theirrotation the spring contacts 17 simultaneously engage the conductingportions of the disks.

In describing the operation of the apparatus, I will first assume thatthe engineer has instantaneous positions shown in the drawing. With theparts in this condition, the relay F is energized by virtue of a pick-upcircuit passing from one terminal of a battery 18, through the contactmembers 9, 8 and 10,

'* pick-up winding 6'of relay F and contact 17 and conducting portion 15of contact mechanism M to the other terminal of battery 18. Theenergization of relay F establishes a stick circuit for this relaypasing from one terminal of battery 18, through the stick coding deviceH closes the'associated contact 55 a circuit is established pasing fromone terminal of the. oscillator G, through contact 5-5 of coding deviceH front contact23 of relay F condenser 24, and transmitting -coils'2 and2 to the other terminal of oscillator An alternating current is thusproduced inthe' rails 1 and 1 having the same frequency as that suppliedby the oscillator G. Substantially simultaneously with the closing ofthe oscillator circuit just traced, the insulating portion 16 of thecontact mechanism M moves into engagement with the associated contact 17and opens the pick-up circuit for relay F previously traced through thiscontact, but relay F is maintained energized by the stick circuitcontrolled by a contact mechanism K. During the first one-half of arotation of the coding device H and contact disks 1 1, from the positionshown in the drawing, the coding device r H periodically closes andopens its contact 5-5 in the associated sending circuit, which producesalternating current impulses in the track rails 1 and 1 according to thecode determined by the number and spacing of the cam lobes 4 of thecoding device H Throughout this first one-half rotation of ergized bythe stick circuit that is now closed at the front contact 19 and thecontact 17 of the contact mechanism K which is. now in engagement withits associated conducting portion 15.

As soon, however, as the coding device H completes its first one-halfrotation from the position shown in the drawing, its code group ofcurrent impulses is completed and it ceases to actuate its associatedcontact member 5 during the next one-half rotation. At the point wherethe code group is completed, the insulated portion 16 of the contactmechanism K moves into engagement with its contact 17 to open the stickcircuit with the relay F Just before the stick circuit is opened theconducting portion 15 of the contact mechanism M moves into engagementwith its contact 17, and again closes the pick-up circuit, so that therelay F is still retained energized during the second one-half rotationof the coding device H The cycle of operation just described will berepeated as longas the brake valve lever V occupies its releaseposition.

To sum up the operation thus far, during the first one-half rotation ofthe coding device H the stick circuit for the relay F is closed, holdingthe relay energized, irrespective of the lever V, and a code group ofimpulses is supplied to the transmitting coils 2 and 2. During thesecond one-half rotation of the coding device H no code impulses aresupplied, the stick circuit for the relay F is open and the pick-upcircuit is closed so that the relay F is under the control of the leverV during this second one-half rotation. It follows that if the engineershould move the lever V to another position at any time during the firstone-half rotation of the coding device H the relay F associatedtherewith, remains energized permitting the completion of the code groupof impulses.

Starting with the parts in the condition as shown in the drawing, andassuming that the engineer places the lever V at its running position R,the relay F 2 will become energized by virtue of a pick-up circuitpassing from one terminal of battery 18 to contact members 9, 8 and 11,pick-up winding 6 of the relay F and contact mechanism M to the otherterminal of the battery 18. Just before the first of the cam lobes 4 ofthe coding device H closes its associated contact 55 as the cams rotatefrom the position shown in the drawing, the conducting portion 15 of thecontact mechanism K moves into engagement with its contact 17 and closesa stick circuit for the relay F passing from one terminal of battery 18,through the stick winding 7 of relay F back contact 25 of relay F frontcontact 26 of relay F back contacts 27 and 28 of relays F and Frespectively, and contact mechanism K to the other terminal of battery18. As soon as the rotation of the coding device H closes the associatedcontact 5-5, a circuit is established passing from one terminal of theoscillator G, through contact 55 of coding device H front contact 29 ofrelay F condenser 24 and trans mitting coils 2 and 2 to the otherterminal of oscillator G. Alternating current impulses are thus producedin the rails 1 and 1 according to a code determined by the coding deviceH If the engineer had placed the valve lever V at its lap position L,relay F would have become energized by virtue of a pick-up circuitpassing from one terminal of battery 18, through contact members 9, 8and 12, pickup winding 6 of relay F and contact mechanism M to the otherterminal of battery 18. WVith the coding device H in the position inwhich it is shown in the drawing, that is, to say, just before the firstof its cam lobes 4i closes its contact 5 5*, the conducting portion 15of the contact mechanism K moves into engagement with its contact 17 andcompletes a stick circuit for relay F passing from contact 32 of relay Fback contact 38 of relay F and contact mechanism K to the other terminalof battery 18. As soon as the rotation of the coding device H closes itsassociated contact 55*, a circuit is established passing from oneterminal of the oscillator Gr, through-contact .55" of coding device Hfront contact 84 of relay F condenser 24 and transmitting coils 2 and 2to the other terminal of the oscillator G. Alternating current impulsesare thus produced in the rails 1 and 1 according to a code determined bythe coding device H If the engineer should move the valve lever V to itsemergency position E, the relay F, Will, when contact mechanism Mreaches the proper position, become energized by virtue of a pick-upcircuit passing from one terminal of battery 18, through contact members9, 8 and 13, pick-up winding 6 of relay F and contact mechanism M to theother terminal of battery 18. lVith coding device H in the position inwhich it is shown in the drawing, that is to say, just before the firstof its cam lobes l closes its contact 55*, the conducting portion of thecontact mechanism K engages its contact 17 and completes a stick circuitfor relay F passing from one terminal of battery 18, throughstickwinding 7 of relay F, back contacts 35, 36 and 37 of relay F F and Frespectively, front contact 38 of relay F, and contact mechanism K tothe other terminal of the battery 18. As soon as the rotation of thecoding device H closes its associated contact 55 a circuit isestablished passing from one terminal of the oscillator G throughcontact 55 of coding device H front contact 39 of relay F condenser 24,and the transmit ting coils 2 and 2 to the opposite terminal of theoscillator G. Alternating current impulses are thus produced in therails 1 and 1, according to a code determined by the coding device HFrom the foregoing, it will be noted that the contact mechanism Mcontrols the pickup circuitsof all the relays F jointly with the lever Vand that the contact mechanism K controls the stick circuit of all therelays F independent of the lever V. Also that during the period a codegroup of current im pulses being supplied to the transmitting coils 2and 2, the stick circuit is effective to energize the associated F relayand that durin g the long interval between code groups, the pick-upcircuit is effective to energize the associated relays F. Itfollows,'then, that if the lever V has been moved to a posiion in whichit has caused the energization of one of the F relays in order totransmit a certain code, a subsequent movement of the lever V to anotherposition Wlll not cause the deenergization of such relays or theenergization of the F relay associated with the new position of thelever V until the stick circuit for the first mentioned relay is opened,and this will 5 not occur until the code group of impulses is completed.

As stated earlier in the specifications, I do not wish to limit myselfto the one type of control system here referred to, my invention beingequally adaptable to any system Where a group of code impulses issupplied to a sending circuit. Such apparatus as here described providesfull assurance that no false third code can be established by a portionof another code, either when taken by itself or when combined with aportion of some other code.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatusembodying my invention, it is understood that various changes andmodifications may be made there in within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. Apparatus for a control system including, a source of current, codingmeans adapted to code at recurrent intervals the current supplied by thesource into a predetermined group of current impulses, a relay forcontrolling the supply of said coded current to a sending circuit, apick-up circuit and a holding circuit for said relay, manually operatedmeans to control the pick-up circuit, and

contact mechanism operated in timed relation with the coding meansarranged to close the pick-up circuit only during the time intervalbetween two code groups of-impulses and to close the holding circuitonly during 0 the time interval of a code group and thereby each relay,manually operated means having 53 a different position for each of saiddifferent conditions to select the pick-up circuit for the correspondingrelay, and contact mechanism operated in timed relation with the codingmeans arranged to close the selected pick-up circu tonly during the timeinterval between two code groups of impulses and to close the holdingcircuit for the selected relay only during the time interval of a codegroup of impulses and thereby automatically estab- 55 lish thecontinuous repeating of the code corresponding .toth'e selected relayandpreventing a change in the position of the manually operated meanseffecting the energizing of a relay except during the interval "betweentwo code groups of impulses.

3. Apparatus for a train brake control system comprising in combinationwith the usual engineers brake valve on the locomot ve and an auxiliarybrake controlling mechanism at another point on the train, cod ing meansadapted to supply to the trafiic rails at recurrentintervalsa'difi'erent coded current for each position of the engineersbrake valve for governing the auxiliary mechanism and with each codeconsisting of a distinctive group ofcurrent impulses, a plurality ofrelays eachcontrolling one of said codes, a pick-up circuit and a'stickcircuit for each of said relays, contact'means governed by the positionof the engineers valve to select the pick-up circuit for thecorresponding relay, and a contact mechanism operated in timed relationwith said coding means to alternately open and close the pick-up andstick circuits of the selected relay and arranged to close the pick-upcircuit and open the stick circuit during the interval between two codegroups of impulses and to open the pickup circuit and close the stickcircuit during the interval of a code group of impulses and therebypermit a change in the position of the engineers valve to effect achange in the selection of the relays only at the end of a code group ofimpulses. 7 v

4. Apparatus for a train brake control system comprising in combinationwith the usual engineers brake valve on the locomotive and an auxiliarybralre controlling mechanism at another point on the train, coding meansadapted to supply to the traific rails at recurrent intervals adifferent coded current for each posit on of the engineers brake valvefor governing the auxiliary mechanism and with each code consisting of adistinctive group of current impulses, a plurality of relays eachcontrolling one of said codes, a pick-up circuit for each relaycontrolled by a corresponding position of the engineers valve, and astick circuit for each relay including a back contact of each of theremaining relays in series to thereby prevent no two of said relays toberetained energized at the same time.

5. Apparatus for a train brake control system comprising in combinationwith the usual engineers brake valve on the locomotive and an auxiliarybrake controlling mech anism another point on the train, coding meansadapted to supply to the traffic rails at recurrent intervals adifferent coded current for each position of the engineers brake valvefor governing the auxfiary mechanism and with each code consisting of a.distinctive group of current impulses, a plurality of relays eachcontrolling one of said codes, a pick-up circuit for each relaycontrolled jointly by a corresponding position of the engineers valveand a contact operated in timed relation with the coding means andarranged to open said pick-up circuit during the interval of each codegroup of impulses, a stick circuit for each relay including a backcontact of each of the remaining relays in series and a second contactoperated in timed relation with the coding means arranged to close thestick circuit only during the interval of a code group of impulses, saidpickup and stick circuits thereby permitting the selecting of the relaycorresponding to the position of the engineers valve only during theinterval between code groups of impulses and preventing any two of saidrelays to be retained energized at the same time.

6. Apparatus for a train brake control sys-' tem comprising incombination with the usual engineers brake valve on the locomotive andan auxiliary brake controlling mechanism at another point on the train,coding means adapted to supply to the traflie rails at recurrentintervals a different coded current for .each position of the engineersbrake valve for governing the auxiliary mechanism and with each codeconsisting of a distinctive group of current impulses, a plurality ofrelays each controlling one of said codes, an

energizing circuit for each of said relays controlled jointly by theposition of the engineers valve and contact operated in timed pulses, astick circuit for each relay including a second contact operatedfintimed relation with the coding means arranged to close the stick circuitonly during the time interval of a code group of impulses, said pick-upand stick circuits thereby permitting the selecting of the relaycorresponding to the position of the engineers valve only during thetime interval between code groups and automatically establishingthecontinuous repeating of the code group aslong as the engineers valveremains in the one position.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature.

ANDREW J. SORENSEN.

relation with the coding means and arranged to be closed only during thetime interval between two code groups of impulses, a holding circuit foreach of said relays including a second contact operated in timedrelation with the coding means and arranged to be closed during the timeinterval of a code group of impulses, said energizing and holdingcircuits or" each relay thereby permitting the relay corresponding tothe position of the engineers valve to be selected between two codegroups of impulses and automatically establishing the continuousrepeating of the code group corresponding to the relay selected as longas the engineers valve remains in the one position.

7. Apparatus for a train brake control system comprising in combination-with the usual engineers brake valve on the locomotive and an auxiliarybrake controlling mechanism at another point on the train, coding meansadapted to supply to the traflic rails at recurrent intervals adilferent coded current for each position of the engineers brake valvefor governing the auxiliary mechanism and with each code consisting of adistinctive group of current impulses, a plurality of relays eachcontrolling one of said codes, a pickup circuit for each relaycontrolled jointly by a corresponding position of the engineers valveand a contact operated in timed rela-

